Contract Marriage Interrupted - Chapter 102



Only Krnovel

Episode 102. Together in the Future
2024.01.21.

After Walter woke up, everything went smoothly.

Katharina and Blake were desperate to somehow bring Walter’s death to the surface, so Cedric just had to frame them as the culprits who put poison in Walter’s glass. Not only

did they try to poison Walter, but Cedric brought out the evidence he had collected so far about the Emperor’s poisoning. When things got to this point, even they couldn’t completely clear their names, so Katharina was imprisoned in the imperial villa, shouldering all the charges. Although

it was called a villa, it was completely isolated from the outside world, and since food and necessities were only allowed in through a small door, all Katharina could do there was wait for death.

Cedric, who had sent Katharina to the villa, said this.

“You didn’t forget to warn me before you left for the villa. Even if I rot away in the villa, my son and daughter are still alive and well. I think he dreams of Blake becoming the emperor and saving him, how amusing.”

It was a sarcastic sneer, knowing that that day would never come.

Because the emperor would die from the poison regardless of Katharina’s presence, and then Blake would have no room to interfere until Cedric ascended to the throne.

And so Blake’s plot ended in self-destruction. After that, Regina sent several tearful appeals to Odette, asking for Katharina’s favor, or at least to be allowed to see her, but Odette threw them all into the fireplace. With those words,

“If I had lost Walter, I would have had nowhere to beg for my life, so this is quite generous.” * * * As time passed, the leaves fell and white snow blossoms filled the bare branches. The butler of Duke Ertmann’s mansion, Philip, looked at the winter of the mansion he had devoted his entire life to. The garden, which had been built at great expense and decorated by hiring many gardeners, looked exactly the same as Philip’s memories. However, Philip would often think that the garden looked different whenever he looked at it in the winter. Maybe it was because there had been many changes at Duke Ertmann’s mansion this year. “-So, we decided to get married next spring!” “Isn’t it too early, Ellie? I wish I had met you a little more… …” “Oh my, you got married in a month. I thought you would understand me if you were me, even if it was someone else!” “I, I couldn’t help it… …” “That’s true. I forced myself in.” Philip’s gaze turned to the noisy living room. There was Philip’s master Walter, Odette sitting next to him, and Ellie and her lover sitting across from him. Ellie, who loved romance to the point of being second to none when it came to popular romance novels, started her first love affair before fall. It was Arnold’s introduction. In fact, strictly speaking, it was a bit ambiguous to call it Arnold’s introduction. That’s because Arnold had brought this miserable young man to the capital in order to introduce him to none other than Odette. Odette shook her head as if she was recalling that time. “Oh my, I’m still surprised when I think about that time. Sir Arnold is really fiery. To think that he’d introduce me to a new wife right away just because we had a fight.” “In my opinion, you’re my grandfather’s family, not me.” “Why do you say that, Walter? Sir Arnold cares so much about you.” “Well… … .” Walter couldn’t help but look suspicious at Odette’s words. In fact, Philip agreed with that part. ‘Sir Arnold… … seems to care more about his wife than his master.’ So, not only did he send Odette a carriage full of gifts every time the season changed, but if there was even the slightest discord between them, wouldn’t he get upset and take Odette’s side? It was the same then. -My dear! Don’t live with a man who makes you cry! – Arnold barged in without warning and, after closely examining Odette’s condition, grabbed Walter by the collar and went for a private interview, leaving Odette and the young man he had brought behind him alone. Because of this, Odette almost had to deal with an awkward atmosphere, but fortunately, a guest was scheduled to visit that day. Odette’s closest friend, Ellie. Odette introduced Ellie to the young man Arnold had brought, and the two quickly became close, as if they had fallen in love at first sight. And then, as soon as a season had passed, he brought news of their marriage.

Although she was worried that they were getting married too quickly after only meeting for a short time, Odette was truly delighted with Ellie’s choice. This was because Ellie had originally been unable to find a suitable spouse, but due to family circumstances, she had to marry a foreign noble and leave the country.

“It’s a little surprising, but congratulations on your marriage. I’m so glad that you found someone you really like, Ellie.”

“Actually, I didn’t plan on getting married so soon, but I thought that I could contribute to the family a little if I got married. Of course, Your

Majesty helped me a lot, so it’s not too difficult.” Ellie shook her head, wondering how much her siblings were urging her not to get married.

However, her face was filled with joy and affection for her lover that she couldn’t hide. The young man quietly holding Ellie’s hand also had the same glow, so the two would definitely make a good couple.

‘If Ellie couldn’t find someone she really liked, I was going to introduce you to Sir Russell.’

Anyone who knew anything about it would know that Russell had secretly been interested in Ellie.

They say that cute and lively people are his taste, but Russell seemed to have fallen for the lively and cheerful Ellie.

So everyone in the Ertmann ducal palace knew that Ellie had been melancholic and shut herself in the gym for a while when she had a lover, even though she didn’t tell anyone directly. She

probably would have been even more depressed when she heard the news of her marriage, if not more.

Odette mourned Russell, who must have suffered from heartbreak, and decided to think about whether there was another young lady she could introduce him to later. After getting married, she had become more interested in connecting other people.

“I think it was Lea Denzel? She was cute. I should try talking to her at the next social gathering.”

Odette now held regular social gatherings at the Ertmann ducal palace.

This was possible because she had built up enough of a position in society.

After publicly announcing that Odette had the power to breathe life into people, the whole country was interested in Odette for a while. It was a power that would appear once every hundred years or so, so it was only natural.

If the Belfort Academy and Cedric, who had been cooperating from the beginning, had not stepped forward

to protect her, Odette would have had to go around like a clown, changing fountain pens into pigeons for a while. In any case, Odette did not miss the attention that suddenly came to her and used it to solidify her position in the social world. Thanks to that, she became a big name who could hold regular social gatherings before a season had passed.

Walter said it was natural, but Odette still felt a little unfamiliar and awkward with this change. She was more comfortable sitting across from Ellie than attending a large social gathering.

“Then I will send you the invitations as soon as they come out, Your Majesty!”

“Come visit me again next time. Or should we go to the villa together? There is a villa with a hunting ground by the lake, and Walter says the winter scenery there is very pretty.”

“Of course I would! Whenever you call me!”

Ellie happily answered and left the Ertmann residence with a bright face.

After the carriage left, Odette, who had returned after seeing her friend off, was surprised to find her husband sitting with a sullen expression on his face.

“Why are you looking like that, Walter?”

“… … You agreed to go to the villa with me.”

“Of course you will go too. Wouldn’t it be fun if the four of us, including Ellie and her husband, went together?”

“It’s not fun. I was planning to go with you alone.”

Odette let out a small laugh at Walter’s inappropriate grumbling, asking how he could make a promise without asking her opinion. Her husband often acted immaturely, believing in his wife’s love, and this was clearly another one of those tantrums.

The problem was that Walter looked very cute in Odette’s eyes.

“Oh my, a man twice my size looks cute.” They say

that the world looks different when you’re in love, but is this really what it means?

However, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction when she saw a man who didn’t even want to say a word to others clinging to her arms.

Perhaps she herself was not a very moderate person. Odette thought so, and she held Walter’s upper body tightly with her arms that were covering her shawl.

“Don’t complain. We have many things to do together. The four of us can go this winter, and two of us can go next winter.”

“Then you want me to wait a year to go?”

“It’s not like there’s only one villa, right? It’s not like we have to wait a year to go. There are many places we can go alone. We’ll continue to be together.”

Together in the future. Walter’s sullen expression softened as he seemed to like those words.

“You’ve become more talkative, Odette.”

“That’s only natural, given who you are.”

Walter laughed softly at her sly retort, then suddenly changed his posture and lightly hugged Odette.

“If she were my wife, she would have to have other talents.”

“What talents?”

“Ask those novels you keep secretly reading.”

“… …! Oh, when did you see it?!”

“Of course I won’t tell you.”

Walter kissed Odette’s cheek, whose face had instantly turned red, and headed up the stairs.

It was now a scene from Duke Ertmann’s residence that had become nothing special.

[End]